WATCH PRESS TV NEWS HEADLINES

Here is a brief look at Press TV newsroom's headlines from 1800 GMT, September 28, 2018 to 0800 GMT, September 29, 2018.

S-300 delivery to Syria

Moscow says it has started delivering the Russian S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system to Syria. Sergey Lavrov made the announcement at a news conference at the United Nations. He also warned Western powers about trying to undermine the UN-led efforts to end Syria’s seven-year crisis. The delivery comes despite strong objections by Israel and the United States. Lavrov also defended Iran’s presence in Syria.

Rapping US ‘blackmail’

The Chinese Foreign Minister says Beijing will not be blackmailed over trade as the economic war between his country and the US rages on. Wang Yi made the comments while addressing the 73rd annual session of the UN General Assembly. Wang stressed that international trade is complementary and a win-win game by nature. He said trade should not be a zero-sum game in which one gains at the expense of others. The Chinese foreign minister also condemned protectionism and said it will damage all countries. Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov condemned the use of political blackmail and economic pressure on his countries. Lavrov said the world is observing a belligerent US approach against international law.

US embassy case at ICJ

Palestinians have filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice over the relocation of the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem al-Quds. In a statement, the ICJ said Palestinians argue that moving the embassy violates an international treaty. The statement cites the 1961 Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Relations. The Palestinian suit requests the world court to order the US to withdraw the decision and move back its embassy to Tel Aviv. In December 2017, US President Donald Trump ordered the diplomatic mission’s relocation.

Indonesia disaster

Scores of people have been killed in Indonesia after a major earthquake and an ensuing tsunami struck Sulawesi Island. The tsunami waves reached a maximum height of 1.5 meters. Rescue teams have been dispatched to the city. Earlier on Friday, a 7.5 magnitude quake hit just off central Sulawesi at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Facebook flaw

A cyber-attack against social media giant Facebook has exposed information of some 50 million user accounts. Facebook said it has been unable to determine yet whether the hackers misused any of the affected accounts. The company which has more than two billion monthly active users also said it does not know who was behind the cyber-attack. Facebook assured its users that it has already fixed a bug which allowed the hackers to have access to their accounts. This comes as the company has had a turbulent year filled with major security breaches and privacy issues.

Zarif’s talks on JCPOA, Syria

Iran’s Foreign Minister holds a series of meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York over the 2015 nuclear deal and the Syria crisis. Mohammad Javad Zarif focused mainly on the fate of the Iran nuclear deal when meeting counterparts from Algeria, Austria and the Netherlands. Zarif thanked Europe for abiding by its commitments to the agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. He then discussed the worsening humanitarian situations in Syria and Yemen with UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock. Zarif finally wrapped up his day with a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem.

Kavanaugh FBI probe

US President Donald Trump has ordered an FBI investigation into sexual assault allegations against his Supreme Court pick, Brett Kavanaugh. Trump’s order came after the Senate delayed a vote on Kavanaugh’s nomination. The Senate Judiciary Committee initially approved his nomination. But, the committee’s chair later said, he was asking President Trump to order a probe that must be completed in less than a week. Republican Chuck Grassley made the demand amid pressure inside and outside Congress that whether Kavanaugh is suitable for the post. So far, Kavanaugh faces sexual misconduct allegations from three women. One of the accusers is university professor Christine Blasey Ford who gave a testimony on Friday. Kavanaugh’s nomination has turned into a political firestorm ahead of mid-term congressional elections in November.

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